bonta



(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. W. BONTA.

TELEPHONE. E No. 333,816. Patented Jan. 5,1886.

INVENTOR gm W M N. PETERS. Pholoulhngrapher. Wnhinglcn, D. C.

(Modem r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. W. BONTA.

TELEPHONE.

-N0.-333,816. PatentedJan. 5,1886.

W arm/away N PETERS. Puma-um l 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. BONTA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO J. DANIELEBY, TRUSTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

TELEPHONE.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,816, dated January5, 1886.

Application filed September 25, 1885. Serial No. 178,164. (ModeL) To allwhom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES W. BONTA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTelephoning, of which the following is a specification.

If the generallyaccepted theory that the Reis system or method of theelectric transmission of tones involved the alternate breaking andclosing of the line-circuit by the transmitter be correct, in that casethe known art of electrically transmitting sounds consists of twobranches. One branch is represented by the Beis system. The other branchis represented by the Bell system, in which the trans mitter neverbreaks the circuit on which it operates.

My invention relates to the Reis system, considering it as one in whichthe transmitter habitually alternately breaks and closes the circuit onwhich it operates. I have found that it is not possible to transmitarticulate speech in a commercially practical manner over a line whichis alternately broken and closed by the transmitter, as in the Reissystem, although other sounds may be successfully transmitted in thatway.

The object of my invention is to so improve the Reis system thatarticulate speech as well as other sounds can be successfullytransmitted electrically.

To this end my invention consists in electrically transmitting vocalarticulations and other sounds over a line or secondary circuit byelectric currents induced by varying as well as breaking the contactbetween two electrodes in the primary circuit associated with the saidsecondary circuit.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, 1 will proceed todescribe it as put into successful practice by the apparatus illustratedin the annexed drawings, which is the best for the purpose which I haveso far devised, although I have practiced my invention with more or lesssuccess by means of differentlyconstructed apparatuses. I have onlyillustrated the transmitting apparatus. Any known practical receivingapparatus may be used in connection therewith.

tion to vary the strength of a battery-current and to break orinterruptthe circuit when the diaphragm is vibrated by sound impinging againstit, in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation ofmovable electrode and platform or table therefor. Fig. 3 represents aview similar to Fig. 1, showing modified form of platform or table formovable electrode. Fig. 4 is a detail plan of the movable or looseelectrode and its supporting platform or table; and Figs. 5 and G aredetail elevations of the diaphragm and loose or ball electrodes, showingdifferent forms of outer or contact end for the diaphragm-electrode.

A represents the transmitter; B, its diaphragm, having,preferably,on itsrear side an electrode, 0, which is preferably of carbon, and has anouter rounded, tapered, or other suitably-formed end, 0, and thisconstitutes what I call the diaphragm-electrode, as it is secured to andmoves with the diaphragm.

D is the remaining electrode, and for purposes of my invention I preferto make it of carbon in the form of a ball or sphere, to loosely supportit upon an inclined table or platform, E, and to place thediaphragm-electrode, the ball, and table in the battery-circuit, forreasons hereinafter stated. The diaphragm is connected with one pole ofthe battery L B, the other pole of which is connected with one end ofthe primary coil of the inductorium I. The table E is connected with theother end of said primary coil. The secondary coil of the inductorium Iis a portion of the line-circuit.

The platform or table E is suitably hinged or pivoted at its forward endto the sides of the transmitter-case, so as to preferably place thehorizontal and vertical axes of the ball as near as may be in linerespectively with the longitudinal center of the diaph ragm-electrodeand with the vertical center of the pivot or hinge connection of thetable E, as shown.

This position of the ball in reference to the inclination of theplatform serves for the following functions: First, to give an initialcontact-pressure between the electrodes which is stable enough tomaintain contact between them part of the time while the diaphragm isVibrating under the influence of sounds, but as the electrode D is aball, and has a rolling motion on the table E as the diaphragm vibrates,such contact-pressure is not stable enough to prevent the ball, underthe influence of the resultant motion imparted to it by thediaphragn1,from receding or parting from the diaphragnrelectrode duringor at the end of an impulse by the latter; and, second, to form awedge-shaped recess or chamber between the diaphragm-electrode and thetable, which limits the receding or parting movement of the ball,returns it to contact with the electrode, and prevents rebounding.

The described position of the ball-electrode, of course, is one thatgives a light initial contact between it and the diaphragm-electrode;but as the table is in the battery-circuit an additional or a secondinitial contact-pressure isobtained between the ball and the table;hence the-variations in the strength of the current are equal to the sumof variations of these contact-pressures, or that between thediaphragm-electrode and the ball and between the latter and the table.

Any suitable screw or regulating device, e,

* may be employed to adjust the table to vary its inclination foraltering the degree of initial contact-pressure between the electrodes.

The table may be wholly of metal or other suitable conductor, asindicated in Fig. 3; or it may consist of a carbon block having a groovefor the reception of the ball and a metal or other support for thecarbon block or plate, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. I prefer thislast-described form, as it is evident that with the two carbon contactsfor the ball the sum of its two initial contactpressures is greater thanwhen one of them is in contact with metal. In this form of instrumentthere is, therefore, a ball-electrode loosely supported upon an inclinedtable or electrode, and in contact with an electrode on the diaphragm.Consequently when the diaphragm is vibrated by sounds spoken orimpinging against it the initial contact-pressures of the ball arevaried,resulting in changes of resistance of the primary circuit. The

ball partakes of the impelling movement or pressure of the diaphragm,and the contact of the ball with the diaphragm is maintained by theinclination of the table E until the diaphragm slows up preparatory toits returnswing,when the ball moves backwardly more rapidly, by reasonof its acquired motion or force,and separates from the diaphragm-elec-6o trode, so as to break the primary circuit and interrupt thebattery-current; but the continuous backward movement of the ball isretarded by the inclination of the table E, and the ball soon returns tocontact with the diaphragm-electrode, re-establishing the primarycircuit.

I have ocularly demonstrated that with the size of the ball shown breaksoccur habitually in rapid succession when words are spoken into thetransmitter in an ordinary tone of voice; that for whispering or verylow tones of voice the same result is obtained by a much smaller ball.For loud or yelling tones a much larger diameter of ball may beemployed; but ordinarily the one shown is the size I use, as by Varyingthe inclination of the table from two to forty-five degrees the samesize of ball may be used to produce the result described.

By the successive changes of resistance and interruptions of the primarycircuit electric currents are induced in the line or secondary circuit,which so operate on the receiver that it reproduces the vocalarticulations or other sounds projected into the transmitter.

I have endeavored to ascertain just what phases of a sound orarticulation cause breaks in the primary circuit also, what precisefunctions the induced currents resulting from the breaks and makes ofthe primary circuit performed. In these endeavors I have beenunsuccessful; but I have ascertained and know that speech transmittedaccording to my method is reproduced by a receiver witha distinctnessexceptional, in that the syllables and words are as clearly separated asin the natural speech, and do not run together.

WVhat I claim is The art or method of transmitting articulate speech orother sounds telephonically by induced currents over a secondarycircuit, which consists in causing the speech or sounds to vary theresistance as well as to open and close the primary circuit associatedwith such secondary circuit, substantially as before set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES WV. BONTA.

WVitnesses:

S. J. VAN STAVOREN, GHAs. F. VAN HORN.

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